JPH0413709B2 - - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a color image recording method in an electrostatic plotter or the like.

Prior Art FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing an example of a conventional color image recording device.

This color image recording apparatus has one electrostatic recording head 1, a plurality of developing devices 2 capable of supplying developing solutions of different colors, and a roll 3.
After an electrostatic latent image is formed on the electrostatic recording paper 4 fed out, a developing device 2 supplied with a developer of the required color is brought into contact with the latent image to develop the image. This operation is repeated on electrostatic latent images of different color components,
Using one electrostatic recording head 1, electrostatic recording paper 4
A color image is formed by the reciprocating movement of the .

In such a color image recording apparatus, it is important to correctly superimpose component images of each color.

On the other hand, when the recording paper 4 is unwound from the roll 3, it easily expands and contracts under the influence of ambient temperature, humidity, etc., so if an image is formed from the beginning, it will be difficult to adjust the size in the width direction. This is because, for example, if you form a cyan image from the beginning, rewind it, form a magenta image on top of it using the same image signal as before, and then form a blue image, the first cyan image is affected by humidity and, for example, shrinks by several tens of micrometers in the width direction, and even though all images should be blue, the cyan image has shrunk, resulting in the development of a magenta part. do. In order to deal with this phenomenon, when recording the first image signal, as shown in FIG. At this time, the marks are detected, the mark intervals are measured, the recording cycle is adjusted based on the mark intervals, and the component images of each color are aligned to form a color image. For example, if the mark interval is shorter than the standard value (due to paper expansion and contraction), the recording cycle is shortened, and if it is longer, the recording cycle is lengthened, and the component images of each color are overlapped. match.

Problems to be Solved by the Invention However, in this type of method, a series of intermittent marks are recorded on both ends of the recording paper for positioning purposes, so the image recording area where the original image can be recorded becomes narrow. Put it away. In addition, reading these marks, measuring the mark intervals, and superimposing the component images of each color has the disadvantage that the device becomes complicated because the design takes into account mark interval measurement and recording cycle adjustment. There is.

The present invention solves the above-mentioned conventional problems, without narrowing the image recording area of recording paper.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a color image recording method that can easily form a color image without using a complicated device.

Means for Solving the Problems In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, the present invention employs a method in which the recording paper is taken out of the roll and exposed to the air before forming an electrostatic latent image. , adjust the temperature and humidity to saturate the expansion and contraction of the recording paper in advance, rewind it to its original roll state, form and develop a latent image for each color, and then layer them one after another. This is to obtain a color image.

Operation Before recording an image signal, the recording paper is first taken out from the roll and exposed to the air, so that the expansion and contraction changes of the recording paper are saturated in advance. Then, after being rewound onto the roll again, latent image formation and development for each color are sequentially performed one on top of the other based on the positioning mark to obtain a color image.

Embodiment FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a schematic configuration of a color image recording apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention, and the same members and portions as those shown in FIG. 2 are denoted by the same reference numerals.

This color image recording device includes an electrostatic recording head 1 that forms an electrostatic latent image on a recording paper 4 fed out from a roll 3, and an electrostatic recording head 1 that slides into contact with the recording paper 4 on which the electrostatic latent image is formed. Four liquid developing units 2 containing black, cyan, magenta, and yellow developing solutions, respectively, and recording paper 4 are used to develop images.
A sensor 6 is provided on the upstream side of the electrostatic recording head 1 with respect to the feeding direction of the recording paper 4 and at a side edge of the recording paper 4, and detects a start mark 5 formed on the recording paper 4. A supply motor 7, a drive roller 8, a motor 9 directly connected to the drive roller 8, a winding device 10, and a winding motor 11 directly connected to the roller shaft of the winding device 10 are provided. The drive motor 9 uses a pulse motor. In addition, in order to keep the tension constant in the winding motor 11 and the supply motor 7, as the roll diameter increases, the torque increases, but the rotation speed decreases.On the other hand, as the roll diameter decreases, the rotation speed decreases. It uses a so-called torque motor, which has the characteristic that the torque increases, but the torque decreases.

Next, the operation will be explained.

First, when the apparatus enters a standby state, the driving roller motor 9, the winding motor 11, and the supply motor 7 are turned on. In this standby state, the winding motor 1
1 in the direction of winding the recording paper 4 (direction of arrow A),
Further, the supply motor 7 is driven in a direction (in the direction of arrow B) such that the electrostatic recording paper 4 in the roll shape is not supplied. Due to this, tension is applied to the recording paper 4, and the recording paper 4 is in a stretched state within the apparatus.

Next, the image creation state is entered. When moving to this state, first, a necessary length of blanking is performed.
At this time, one of the developing devices 2 may be left in operation. In this case, since no latent image has been formed, no development is performed by the operating developing device 2, but the same load can be applied to the recording paper 4 as in a normal developing state, and the tension is lower than normal. This is preferable since it is the same as the case. In addition, recording paper 4
It is not always necessary to operate the developing device 2 when the image is empty. In any case, it is necessary to adjust the humidity of the recording paper and stabilize its expansion and contraction by emptying it. Therefore, the driving roller motor 9 is driven (in the same direction as the winding device 10), and the recording paper 4 is unrolled to a required length against the force of the supply motor 7, thereby controlling the humidity.

Once the recording paper 4 has been emptied, the drive roller motor 9 is reversed, and the recording paper 4 is moved against the force of the take-up motor 11 to return it to its original roll state. .

Only after this operation is completed does the image signal recording start state begin. That is, first, the developing device 2, which supplies black toner, is operated so as to come into contact with the recording paper 4, and the electrostatic head 1 forms a latent image on the recording paper 4, which is to become the start mark 5 as an alignment mark. Form at the head of the head. Subsequently, a latent image that becomes a black image is formed by the electrostatic head 1 based on the image signal. Then, these latent images are developed.
At the same time as development, the excess developer that adhered to the recording paper is removed by the action of the vacuum pump from the developing unit 2 to the recording paper 4.
The air is removed from the recording paper 4 by the flow of air that flows in from between the recording paper 4 and the recording paper 4 is dried.

After this, place the recording paper 4 at the start mark 5 mentioned above.
is rewound to a position where it passes the sensor 6. Thereafter, the developer 2 supplying the black toner is lowered, and the developer 2 supplying the next color, cyan toner, is raised. When this is completed, the drive roller motor 7 is rotated in the same direction as arrow A, and the recording paper 2 is fed out. At this time, when the sensor 6 detects the start mark 5, the electrostatic head 1 is activated.
forming a latent image to be developed in cyan, after which
By developing this with a developing device 2 supplied with cyan toner, a cyan image is obtained on the black. A color image is obtained by performing the same operation for magenta and yellow toners.

In this embodiment, a case has been described in which the start mark 5 is recorded at the beginning of recording when recording a black image after emptying the recording paper 4 and rewinding it. When emptying, a black developing device may be activated, and a latent image of the start mark may be formed with the electrostatic head 1, and this may be developed.

Further, in this embodiment, a case has been described in which a developer is used as the developer, but it goes without saying that a dry type developer may be used.

Effects of the Invention According to the present invention, a blanking process is provided before the original image is recorded, and during this blanking, the humidity of the recording paper is adjusted, and changes in expansion and contraction of the recording paper are brought to a saturated state. Since the recording paper is then rewound and an image is formed, there is no need to record a series of discontinuous marks, and a color image can be formed with a simple configuration without narrowing the image recording area.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a color image recording apparatus for explaining an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a row of conventional color image recording apparatuses. 1... Electrostatic recording head, 2... Developer, 3...
Recording paper roll, 4... Electrostatic recording paper, 4a... Image recording area.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. An electrostatic latent image is formed on a recording paper that is unwound from a roll, and the recording paper on which the electrostatic latent image is formed is moved back and forth, with reference to the alignment mark that was formed in advance. , in a color image recording device that sequentially develops the electrostatic latent image in different colors, prior to forming the electrostatic latent image, the recording paper is once ejected, and the ejected recording paper is rewound. and a color image recording method for forming the electrostatic latent image to obtain a color image.